It was on the banks of the Jordan, that I had a life-changing experience. Although I did not know what it was at the time, I was overcome with the feeling that I must go forward in a worship service that evening, to make a public statement that I wanted to be a Christian.
Lest you think this happened at the Jordan River in the Middle East, I should clarify that it was the bank of the Dry Jordan, in Harrison, Arkansas, around 1960. My parents had a business on the banks of Dry Jordan, called Home School Supply. The name is misleading these days, because the phrase "Home School" implies one gets their education at home, instead of at a public school. Back when my parents chose that name for their business, it simply meant that they sold items for both homes and schools. (see photo of Home School Supply Building on South Pine Street)
My family had been attending a revival (which in those days meant church at night with a guest preacher, who emphasized making a decision to be a Christ-follower) at the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, just two blocks from our home at the corner of Maple and Holt streets. I now realize that once I heard this message of how Jesus had died for my sins, I needed to make a public commitment to Him, in order to take advantage of His gift of salvation, I felt compelled to go forward the following night, to make such a commitment at the revival. The entire day following that conviction, I remember walking over and over in a small circle on the bank of the Dry Jordan, repeating over and over, "I must go forward, I must go forward." I was very scared to take those first steps to "walk the aisle", and tell the guest preacher I wanted to be a Christian. But I somehow did it, and remember feeling such a relief from the conviction I had been under. I now know that it was the Holy Spirit that had convicted me, that I had a decision to make. The Holy Spirit had not condemned me, but convicted me. I have since learned it is Satan that condemns us, not the Holy Spirit. After church that night, I remember mother took us to Jerry's Drive-In, to have a delicious Orange Slush frozen beverage, to celebrate. She told me she was proud of me for making that decision, without any outside pressure from her or my father. Arrangements were made for me to have the Presbyterian form of baptism, which is called "sprinkling", the following Sunday. When my Parrish grandparents heard of my decision, they two decided to be baptized ( "sprinkled" ) at the same time that I was, such that we all three joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church on that same Sunday morning.
I am thankful I made the decision to put my trust in God at an early age, because some of the events that occurred in my life afterwards, made me rely heavily on prayer, and God's promises. That is because I developed a skin condition that make me appear very different from my peers, and required frequent visits to a dermatologist in Little Rock. I am extremely thankful for a core group of friends who accepted my condition, with "unconditional" love. Of course, there were a couple of boys who said and did mean things to me, but I remember the junior high principal, John Wallace Hudson, telling me if anyone was mean to me, to let him know, and he would correct the situation. This was before any organized "anti-bullying" campaigns in school, so it was very intuitive of Mr. Hudson, to make the comment to me.
The next big event that tested my faith was May 7, 1961. I remember Mr. Brandon came to our house in the middle of the night, waking up me and my mother. (My sister was away at college and my father was spending the night on his houseboat at Bull Shoals Lake). Mr. Brandon lived in an apartment building beside Crooked Creek, and had been evacuated because there was a flash flood that covered the apartment building. Since he knew we had a store in the path of the flood, he came to alert us. My mom and I went down to the area while it was still dark, and could not see our business. We got as close as we could to the edge of the rushing waters, where I climbed up on top of a shed, and could see just the top of our two-story business. I had the grim job of climbing down, and telling my mom, that our business was destroyed.
When the waters receded, we were allowed through the police barricades to survey the damage to our store. The entire bottom story had been covered in seven feet of water. We also had a printing business, and the gigantic, massively heavy metal printing press had been shifted off its base, as a result of the torrent of water passing through the building. All of the typewriters, microscopes, mimeograph machines, cameras, binoculars, slide projectors, movie projectors, sports equipment, school letter jackets, wool letter blankets, and paper supplies that we sold, were all ruined. As a youngster, I could not grasp the degree of loss, but looking back, I can only imagine how completely devastated my parents must have been, to see all their work of the past decade destroyed. And there was not flood insurance. We just got to work, mopping out the mud and debris, and picking up the pieces. Yet in all this massive loss, I never heard my father or mother blame God for their losses, or shake their fist at the heavens, cursing their Creator. My seventh grade classes never resumed after that day, as Harrison schools abruptly closed, because the students were needed to help with the clean up efforts. That was the year I was taking geography, so I have always blamed the May 7 flood, on my insufficient knowledge of geography! When I had been of as much assistance as a 13 year old can be to my parents, (or else I annoyed them to their breaking point), they encouraged me to go down to the Harrison square, and help business owners there, who had been flooded. I remember I went to the the Perry Harness shoe store, to help with clean up. Mr. Harness had us separate out shoes that were not completely ruined, and place them in new shoe boxes for a future "Flood Sale". He taught me how to put shoes properly in a box, to that the potential purchaser, could see both the front, bottom, and sides, of the shoes. He even gave my friend and I a few coins for every pair of shoes we re-boxed. It was my first time to "earn" money, from someone besides my parents! There were lots of Flood Sales in Harrison that spring, and I still have one of the shirts I bought at the Flood Sale at Walter's Dry Goods on the square. Normally, the prices for clothes at Walter's was more than my parents wanted to spend, but when the price came down for the Flood Sale, I was able to buy an item there.
As bad as the material losses were, the fact that human lives were lost, is even sadder. I remember, it was on the bank of the (normally "dry") Jordan, that I saw the first dead body I had ever seen outside of a funeral. The body of an elderly man who lived across the Jordan from out store was found a while after the waters receded, and I was standing on the bank, near his home, when I saw an open vehicle drive by with a body in the back that was partially covered, but his swollen and discolored feet were still visible to me. Although I did not know the old man personally (even though he was a reclusive neighbor who refused to leave his home when asked to do so because of the flood) I felt remorseful and never forgot that scene.
Another thing I remember during the time we were at our South Pine store location during the clean-up, was the much-anticipated daily stops by a humanitarian group, such as The Salvation Army, who would come by and bring us donuts, coffee, water, and hot chocolate. It is for this reason, that I now like to include them in my charitable giving.
The frustration my father felt was magnified when the federal program called Urban Renewal, came in and took steps to seize his property by imminent domain . They offered a small amount of money to him, but an amount substantially below its market value. So my father sued the federal government, to assure a fair market value for his business. I remember going to the Boone County Courthouse on the day of the trial, and it was my first time to ever be in a court room. The verdict was to increase the amount they paid my father, but no amount of money could make up for the great business location he had on State Highway 7 South, near the high school. The Urban Renewal project paved over Dry Jordan, and created a "weir", called Lake Harrison. I remember my father using that new-to-me word, "weir", saying it was a "weird" thing to do to a free-flowing stream, like Crooked Creek. And apparently, he was right, because decades later, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission recommended that the dam that was constructed to make the "weir", be removed, so that Crooked Creek could be restored to its natural state! After the Urban Renewal project covered Dry Jordan, and did away with the South Pine street bridge than spanned Dry Jordan, there would no longer be any evidence of my childhood "play house". I would take big cardboard cartons from my parents store, and make a playhouse in Dry Jordan, under the bridge. I still remember the musty smell that the damp cardboard would retain in the humid Arkansas summers. My friend, Betty Sue, that lived next door to our store, and I, would walk in Dry Jordan, down to where it ran into Crooked Creek, and play for hours in the water. We have both commented after we were adults, how amazing it was that our parents left us unattended for hours on end, playing in Dry Jordan, and Crooked Creek!
Fast forward a few years, to when my parents built a new building for their business located at the corner of Central Avenue and Cherry Streets in Harrison. They worked diligently at the business, and became a major supplier of Underwood typewriters, used by many schools and businesses. When the Underwood typewriter company was bought out by the Italian-owned Olivetti corporation, an incentive plan was offered by the Olivetti company that would give an all-expense paid trip for two to Italy to the salesmen who sold the most Olivetti typewriters and adding machines. My father met their quota and won the trip. Since my mother did not want to go, I had the wonderful experience of two weeks in Italy with my father . ( I wrote about that in a blog that can be found in the archives)
Another church-related activity that helped shaped my development, was when the Harrison Presbyterian youth group that I was a part of, was invited by the Presbyterian Church of Bentonville, Arkansas, to come for a week-end in their town. We stayed in the home of Walmart founder, Sam Walton, and his wife, Helen, gave us a tour of their beautiful home there. The thing I remembered most was that it had SEVEN bathrooms! I also remember Mrs. Walton showing us the bedroom of their daughter, Alice, which was lined all around the top of the walls, with fancy prize ribbons she had won at horse shows. In case you are wondering what would cause such a kind gesture on the part of the Waltons to a church group from Harrison, Arkansas, remember it was the 1960's when racial tensions were very high. My home town was very white, and the Presbyterian Waltons, wanted us to see there were other Presbyterian youth in Arkansas, who had a different skin color from me!
On a beautiful, sunny day in May, my freshman year in college, my room mate, Miss Jeffrey Lynn Taylor, and I went to Lake Wedington (just outside Fayetteville) to sunbathe and study for our final exams. As we were studying, a beautiful young co-ed came over to use, saying she was from Oklahoma State University, and was part of a group called Campus Crusade for Christ, who came to Lake Wedington, to tell people about Jesus. We told her we were already Christians, and she replied, "Great, and would you like to have an even better Christian life than you already have right now? We said, of course, so she told us about John 10:10 that says, "I have come to give you life, and to give it to you more ABUNDANTLY!" So we gave her our contact information and from that point, got connected with Campus Crusade for Christ. That organization was very helpful in keeping me pointed in the direction of Jesus during my college days.
As the years clicked by, I tended to put everything except Jesus as First Place in my life. That began to change when I joined a nation-wide, Christ-centered program called First Place. The name comes from Matthew 6:33, that says "Seek FIRST the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
To finish out this testimony, I will give you one more story that has the word "Jordan" in it, which happens to also be the name of the river where John the Baptist, baptized Jesus. It was at Jordan, on the banks of Lake Norfork, in Baxter County, Arkansas, where my husband and I took a scuba diving advanced course, called "Rescue Diver". The phrase "rescue" is what Jesus did for me, by taking the penalty for my sins, through His death on the cross. I deserved to die, but He died in my place--he RESCUED me from an eternity of damnation, and saved me for an eternity with Him.
So may those of us who have accepted God's gift of salvation, "RESCUE THE PERISHING"!!
Remembering how I have been rescued, gives me "MILES OF SMILES"! Tricia
Decades later, it was at Jordan, where I took a scuba diving course called "Rescue Diver". Just as Jesus had been baptized in the Jordan River, my husband and I were "baptized" into the world of being a life-saving diver, by the instructor at Jordan Marina, on Lake Norfork , in Arkansas
In the Arkansas Ozarks, it "bids well" to hike at "Bidwell" Park during the winter, when the park is less crowded. And I don't mean, that it is less crowded just because there are fewer campers, picnickers, and boaters in the park. It is also less crowded in terms of ticks and chiggers! So if you have been "itching" to get outdoors, now is the time to do it! If you wait until warmer weather, you will be itching, because those lovable little ticks and chiggers will want to join you on your expedition!
Bidwell Park is part of a system of well-maintained locations around Norfork Lake, near Mountain Home, Arkansas. They are under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as the Ozarks Keystone Trail endowment. 
I was there recently with my female friends who get together on Wednesday mornings to explore different trails around the Ozarks. On this day, we were exploring one of the sections of David's Trail ( www.davidstrail.org ), that starts across the highway from Bidwell Point Park. Since there is no parking at the actual trail head, it is necessary to park in the Corps of Engineer park, then CAREFULLY cross Highway 101.
The entrance to the trail is not visible from the highway, because it drops off steeply down the hill, as soon as you enter it. 
Walking along this shoreline will give the hiker good views of both the Highway 101 Bridge and the Highway 412 Bridge that cross Lake Norfork. Those of us who remember having to make these crossings via ferry boat in "the olden days" probably have a greater appreciation of these bridges that you young whippersnappers!
The current low lake levels, combined with the hundreds of dead, fallen trees from our big ice storm a while back, have created some coves that were piled high with gigantic "logjams" of driftwood. It reminded me of the log jams I had seen on Pacific Coast beaches in British Columbia. 
Our group passed by this picnic table, where one could enjoy a time to sit and enjoy the view of Lake Norfork. If you go back in the summer, you could be sitting at this table and not even be able to see the water, because of the dense vegetation that will fill the space, when the underbrush has grown up, and all the trees have leaves on them.
Another recent winter hike I took was also on Lake Norfork, but on the western end of the lake, in Pigeon Creek Park. Pigeon Creek Park is also a Corps of Engineer Park, but through a partnership with a local bicycle club, a wonderful multi-use area has been developed called the Pigeon Creek National Recreation Trail.
There are parking areas on both the east and west ends of the Highway 201 North bridge. The benefit of the the East side parking lot is that there is a portable bathroom, which is always helpful!
There are several different locations where one can begin their hike, and the distance you cover depends on where you park to begin.
For this hike, I was with a group of my Arkansas Master Naturalist friends ( www.arkansasmasternaturalists.org ). We met a man walking his dog at this scenic overlook along the trail, and got him to take a group photo of us. This spot has been nicely cleared of underbrush, and a sturdy park bench added, so that one could enjoy a view of Lake Norfork year-round from high atop this hill, overlooking the water.
The trail goes by the remains of an old building, giving rise to speculation as to its history.
At the website www.americantrails.org , one can download, then print, a map of the numerous trails available at Pigeon Creek. There are no maps available at the trail heads.
Some of the trails are marked with blue blazes to help one get their bearings. One of the trail markers also had the GPS co-ordinates on it, as well.
The trail description on the Internet says hikers will go through a stand of pine trees that was planted over fifty years ago, and they are shown in this photo. That means they were planted around the time that the Lake Norfork Dam was being built.
Leaving the state of Arkansas, and driving north into Missouri, my women's hiking group traveled to the Devils Backbone Wilderness, in Mark Twain National Forest to hike Raccoon Hollow Trail ( You can find directions to the trail at www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mtnf )
There is not a sign along the highway marking the trail head, so you have to be very alert to see the turnoff to its secluded entrance in a thick pine forest. There are over 1.5 million acres in Mark Twain National Forest, so be sure to have a good map when you start out on your trek!
Considering the cold temperatures and distance we had to drive to get to this remote trail, it is surprising that over 30 ladies turned out to explore Raccoon Hollow! 
Devils Backbone Wilderness Area is one of 8 wilderness areas protected and preserved in the state of Missouri. It was designated in 1980, and has a total of 6,595 acres. It was named for a prominent ridge down the center of the area, and is described as "limestone glades", near the little town of Dora, Missouri. 
I am thankful we are being good stewards of this beautiful land God has created for us. Seeing the beauty there, illustrates this verse from Psalm 96:12 that says "Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy." Think of the chorus of joy that 1.5 million acres of trees are singing!! My First Place 4 Health group (www.FirstPlace4Health.com), is memorizing the first two verses from the same psalm, that says, "Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples" Psalm 96:1-3. So get out there and take a winter hiking expedition, so that you, too, can sing with joy and have MILES OF SMILES! Tricia
